A Wish Fulfilled
by Aang's a cutie
Summary: Ryou's most carefully hidden secret is his desire to kiss Ichigo. When he finally gets his chance, things don't go quite according to plan, but his wishes come true in the end.
1. Chapter 1

Hello all! Dang, I wrote this story practically a year ago, and now I _finally_ got around to posting it. This was originally intended to be a RxI oneshot, but it really grew... I also tried my hand at writing with the Japanese names this time. Oh and the area of Japan I mention is actually where my brother lived for a year during his study-abroad. I used it because I was always sending letters or packages to that address. :) Anyways, hope you enjoy!

Ryou Shirogane had long harbored a secret desire to pin Ichigo against a wall and kiss her senseless. Well, he was about to finally get his wish.

It was a late Saturday afternoon, and the last few customers had trickled out the café doors, leaving five tired waitresses (well, four) to clean up in their wake. Ichigo occupied herself with scrubbing endless tables, removing them of sticky rings left by carelessly-placed china and various crumbs. Zakuro was vigorously mopping the floors, while Retasu carefully polished the windows and Purin tackled a mountain of dirty dishware. Minto, of course, was relishing a last cup of fruit tea, seated at her usual post. All in all, it was your average Saturday at Café Mew Mew. That is, until Ryou walked in.

Ichigo had unwisely chosen this moment to flop ungracefully into a chair, exhausted. Her ruby-red hair fell into her eyes as she blew out a rush of air. _Jeez, my arms are killing me! At least we're almost done._

Ryou's cerulean eyes narrowed as his best employee (though he would never admit that) gave every appearance of slacking off. Ichigo closed her warm brown eyes and mopped her forehead with the back of one wrist, the cloth rag dangling from her other hand. She looked so adorable, so _vulnerable_, that he suddenly longed to brush the hair out of her eyes, to hold her close… he slapped himself mentally. That kind of thinking would get him nowhere. She belonged to the oh-so-perfect Masaya, and he was just her boss. Reminded of this unfortunate duty, Ryou strode over to the weary girl and mustered up his usual critical, harsh demeanor. It was what she expected of him. What everyone expected of him. If only she knew it was because of his jealously towards Masaya, his hatred of his own inability to tell her how he felt…

"Get up, baka. I don't pay you to take naps here."

Ichigo's eyes flew open, startled out of her doze. "Wha..?" She looked up to see her trim, blonde boss, mouth set in a disapproving frown and hands on his hips. _Uh oh. This can't be good._

"Why, may I ask, are you sitting here daydreaming instead of doing your job?" he demanded. Ichigo reddened and leaped to her feet, nearly knocking her chair over. "That's not fair, Shirogane! I was only there for a second!"

_Here we go again_, thought Minto amusedly, stirring some sugar into her teacup.

"No one else is taking a break. What makes you so special?"

The redhead nearly exploded. "_WHAT?_ How about Minto? She's been on a break ALL DAY!" she screamed, pointing at the unperturbed girl sipping her tea.

"I'm talking to _you_, Ichigo. Leave the other girls out of it," he rebuked her coldly. "And finish wiping those tables, or it'll reflect in your next paycheck." He turned and began to walk away.

"SHIROGANE!" Ichigo had reached her limit. She leaped in front of him, blocking his exit. "THAT DOES IT! You can't treat me this way, not when I do the most work around here!" She stabbed a forefinger into his chest. "Every single day you have to find some fault with my work, and you ignore everyone else's mistakes! What is _WITH _you? Are you BLIND? Or is it because you're just an egotistical, insensitive, cruel, fault-finding jerk who has nothing better to do than pick on innocent girls? I swear…"

Throughout the rant, Ryou had kept his trademark bored-yet-irritated expression, his arms crossed over his chest. But something was different this time. His vision seemed to darken, until only Ichigo was visible before him. Her angry tirade was gradually tuned out, until he no longer heard the meaning behind the words hurled at him, only her sweet voice. He noticed her vibrant hair swaying as she waved her arms, gesticulating. He took in her wide chocolate eyes, framed with dark lashes. Ryou's arms slowly unfolded and dropped to his sides, his eyes unfocused. He admired the flush of her cheeks, the dainty nose….and those _lips_…

He snapped. Unaware of what he was doing, Ryou seized Ichigo in mid-sentence by the shoulders, shoved her against the café wall, and proceeded to kiss her senseless.

Ichigo's mind reeled in shock. After a half-hearted attempt to struggle, she submitted weakly. His lips devoured hers roughly, his right hand cradling her jaw. His kisses were urgent and unrestrained, crushing her lips against his. Years of continually suppressed feelings for the girl were released in an instant. Ichigo's heart pounded wildly as his mouth urged hers along. His fingers dug into her hair, pulling her face as close as possible. Without realizing it, her own hand slowly found its way to his silky, golden hair to clutch a handful. Her lips began to follow his guidance, tugging, encouraging, persuading…

Ryou's thoughts were drowned out by a dull roar. He knew nothing but the sweet, sweet sensation of Ichigo's soft lips on his, her delicate hand on his cheek, her gasping breaths...

The rest of the girls had all frozen in their various stances, their work abandoned at the astonishing sight of Shirogane and Ichigo's passionate embrace. Minto's teacup was hovering halfway to her face. Retasu had turned bright red and dropped her rag, which lay forgotten on the floor. Purin, with eyes wide and mouth slightly agape, was bent over in the motion of putting a plate into the dishwasher, leaving the faucet running. Zakuro, however, was watching the whole affair with an inward smile, her arms extended in mid-stroke with the mop. _About time. How long was he planning on bottling up his feelings?_

Gradually, Ryou's sense began to kick in. As the realization of what he was doing surfaced, his frenzied kisses slowed. He gently released her lips, panting slightly. Ryou opened his eyes and searched Ichigo's face, trying to gauge her reaction.

Ichigo's eyes reluctantly fluttered open to behold Ryou's crystalline blue ones. There was something different about them…they no longer held that carefully guarded, hardened look. They were…warm, expressive, their barriers removed. She lowered her gaze to his shirt, her chest heaving, and found her knees too weak to support her. She clung to him, trembling.

Ryou saw that Ichigo had not yet fully taken in what had just occurred, and realized this was the moment to tell her. Before the outrage ensued. He needed to explain, to justify, his actions. He could finally, _finally_ get it off his chest. He took a deep breath.

"Ichigo…"

At that moment, Keiichiro hurried in.

"Girls! There's been an attack. The Cyniclons have just invaded Setagaya-ku. We need to leave right…"

All heads swiveled to observe Keiichiro's entrance as he paused, taking in the scene. All, that is, but Ichigo's. She turned a deep crimson and quickly removed her hands from Ryou's chest, staring pointedly at the ground. Ryou had stepped back from her swiftly, but Keiichiro was no fool.

"Ryou…" he began curiously, but the blonde cut him off as he strode over to the tall, pony-tailed chef, leaving Ichigo to stare at her toes in embarrassment. "The Cyniclons are where?"

Keiichiro shook himself mentally. _Right, we're in the middle of an emergency._ "The Cyniclons released several predacytes in Setagaya-ku. We need to act, and fast."

"Alright girls, everyone to the basement! We need to brief you on the threat and discuss a plan before you leave. Let's go!" Ryou barked as if everything were normal. Inwardly, his mind was in turmoil. _Damn_, he thought bitterly. _I was finally about to tell her, too_…

They all trooped down the stairs, Ryou leading the way. Keiichiro lingered behind to watch Ichigo pull herself together and follow the others determinedly, her face still flushed.

"Ichigo-san, are you-"

"I'm fine, Akasaka-san. I'm ready to kick some Cyniclon butt!" she attempted to grin confidently at him as she passed by.

_That's not exactly what I meant_, he thought. He shook his head. Whatever happened between Ryou and Ichigo was their business. He just hoped it wouldn't affect the teamwork…

_What am I thinking? Anything has to be better than their constant bickering_… Keiichiro smiled and headed down the stairs into the darkened basement. _Way to go, Ryou._


	2. Chapter 2

Once the group had all assembled in the dimly-lit basement, Ichigo falling in line with noticeable delay, Keiichiro began to speak.

"Masha has detected the presence of the Cyniclons and at least two predacytes not far from a sizable daycare center." A long, one story building came into focus on the large screen before them. "Minto and Retasu, I'd like you two to guard the children by stationing yourselves outside of the building. Try to get the daycare teacher to gather the children in one room and stay hidden. Ichigo, you, Zakuro and Purin are to take out the predacytes. Watch out for the Cyniclons; they're bound to try to interfere with the destruction of their monster creations. Are we clear, girls?"

Sounds of agreement rang in the dim room. Ichigo tried to focus her attention on the screen, where a large predacyte resembling a praying mantis viciously swung its powerful scythes, but she couldn't help but notice out of the corner of her eye that Shirogane seemed to be looking in her direction. She bit her bottom lip and continued to stare straight ahead.

"From the footage that Masha is capturing, there also seems to be some sort of chameleon predacyte. Naturally, it blends in well with its surroundings, so everyone stay alert." Shirogane's voice reached her ears. "We don't want any of you getting hurt, so be careful," he cautioned them all, but his eyes were on Ichigo. She unwillingly met his gaze, heart pounding in her ears. His eyes were intense, brimming with unspoken emotion. It was a long moment.

"Now go!" Ryou cried, unable to speak more. The girls turned as one and raced up the stairs, fair-haired Purin shouting excitedly.

"Are you going to be ok, Ryou?" asked Keiichiro gently. Ryou watched as the red-headed girl disappeared through the door, fighting the urge to look back. He grunted in response and dropped into a chair.

"Ryou?"

Keiichiro was watching him, concerned. Ryou met his eyes and nodded. "I'm fine." He looked away.

"That's what Ichigo said," Keiichiro remarked slyly. Ryou's head snapped back instantly, his stomach twisting unpleasantly. How much had he seen?

"Your secret's safe with me, Ryou. Though it's not much of a secret anymore," Keiichiro chuckled.

Ryou's cheeks flushed pink. "There is no secret," he retorted sharply.

"Oh? Was I imagining you kissing Ichigo a little while ago then?" Keiichiro smiled and turned to the computer. Ryou said nothing.

"Come now, Ryou, there's no need to be shy about it. Why don't you just tell her how you feel? She may feel the same about you…"

"No. She won't. How could she? I treat her like dirt, and she already has a boyfriend…" Ryou trailed off, gloom erasing his earlier elation and feeding his anxiety. _Is she going to be alright? This battle will be more dangerous than ever…_

_Riiiing! Riiiing! Riiiing!_

The shrill cry of a phone cut off his fretful thoughts. In a corner near the staircase, a pale pink cell phone lay forgotten on the ground, clamoring to be answered. Ryou got up, glad for the interruption, and crossed the room to pick up the abandoned phone. It was Ichigo's.

_She must have dropped it when she left_, he mused. He opened the phone to discover the name of the caller.

_Masaya._

He cursed silently. Unsure of what to do in this predicament, Ryou answered the phone. "Hello?"

Silence at the other end. "Um…who is this?" a male voice queried.

Shirogane sighed. "This is Ichigo's boss. What do you want?" he asked, rather harsher than he intended.

"Oh. Where's Ichigo?"

"She's…on an errand. She'll be back in a few hours," he lied.

"I see. Well, can you tell her to call me when she gets back? Thanks," Aoyama said a bit awkwardly.

"Sure. I'll do that. Bye." Ryou hung up without waiting for a responding goodbye. He was shaking, though he had no idea why.

Keiichiro strode over and took the phone from his clenched fist. "Everything is going to be alright, Ryou. It'll just take some time," he consoled him.

Ryou looked at his friend, suddenly stricken. "What have I done?"

The dark-haired young man peered closely at his friend, puzzled. "You successfully lied to keep Ichigo's identity safe. There's no harm done."

"No, no…" Ryou was shaking his head, greatly distraught. He grasped his head tightly in his hands. "I…I _kissed_…his girlfriend."

Keiichiro paused. "Ryou, this isn't the first time in history two people have been in love with the same girl. You have to remember that Ichigo is a smart, independent young woman with her own needs and desires. You can't help how you feel about her, and neither can Aoyama. All you can do is wait for her to decide."

Ryou nodded wordlessly. Keiichiro placed a hand on his friend's shoulder and guided him over to the computer screens. "Right now, you can best help Ichigo by monitoring the fight. Worry about her love life later. At the moment, we should be more concerned for her welfare."

Ryou sank into a chair and strained to focus his attention on the images displayed before him. The girls had now arrived at the scene and were transforming into their Mew counterparts. He watched intently as a certain pink-haired Mew summoned her Strawberry Bell, warily scanning the area for the chameleon predacyte.

"Be careful, Ichigo," he begged in a whisper.


	3. Chapter 3

Outside the daycare center, three girls adorned with their respective sets of ears and tails faced a monstrous insect predacyte.

"Ugh, I hate bugs!" shrieked Ichigo in distaste. Zakuro shook her violet head, mildly exasperated. "Not the time, Ichigo."

The monstrous predacyte spat a glob of some black, tar-like substance in the cat-girl's direction. She leaped away, barely avoiding the offensive goo. "Hey, watch it! I don't know if these outfits are machine-washable!"

The mantis spread its wings and emitted a coarse grating sound, as if laughing in glee.

Ichigo scowled. "Alright, you want to play dirty?" She turned to the others. "Let's exterminate this pest!"

"We'll squash it, na no da!" sang out Purin as she cavorted towards the praying mantis, weapon in hand. "Pudding Ring Inferno!" she cried.

An enormous slab of amber-colored jelly encased the predacyte for a moment. Then, with an ear-splitting cry, the predacyte slashed out with its front legs and severed its prison in two.

Purin's normally cheerful face fell. Zakuro stepped forward and flicked her whip lightly, then drew it back and released a powerful blow. "Reborn Zakuro Spear!"

The mantis whistled shrilly at the sting of the wolf-girl's whip. Under the onslaught of her blows, it slowly backed off, its antennae waving feebly. Then abruptly, Zakuro was clouted onto her side by an unseen object. She lay still on the pavement, the air knocked out of her.

"The chameleon predacyte!" exclaimed Ichigo, suddenly reminded. "It's here somewhere!"

The air suddenly whooshed out of her own lungs as an invisible claw landed a blow to her back, throwing her to the ground. Purin cried out in alarm and glanced around wildly, trying to locate the reptile's position. Ichigo choked, struggling to breathe as the predacyte stepped onto her torso. Zakuro was laboring to her feet, while Purin ducked nimbly under the brutal swipes of the praying mantis further away. Unbeknownst to them, Ryou was watching the unfolding events in desperation from the café basement, his eyes fixed on Ichigo.

"No…get up…c'mon…" he pleaded aloud. Suddenly a green-haired, pointy-eared figure materialized beside the helpless cat-girl.

"Kisshu!" Ryou snarled at the image on the screen. "Keep your lousy hands _off_ her, you scumbag, or I'll..." He ground his teeth in frustration.

Ichigo looked up dazedly to see Kisshu's face just inches from her own. _Kisshu_, she mouthed in horror. Then, struggling anew, she demanded weakly, "Get this thing off of me!"

"I don't think so, kitty-cat. With you pinned down, your friends are helpless." He grinned venomously. "And so are you. How about a kiss, sweetie?"

_Kiss?_ Ichigo thought in horror. A recent memory of lips and arms began to creep over her, but she pushed it aside. "In your dreams!" She squirmed violently and managed to pull free of the hateful claws. Ichigo leaped to her feet, poised for combat. "Don't you _dare_ try it!"

Kisshu looked slightly put-out. "What, am I not as good a kisser as your dream-boat boyfriend?" he taunted. Ichigo froze. _What? Masaya's never kissed me before. The only person who's kissed me is…is…_

_What are you waiting for, Ichigo?_ thought Ryou as he observed the fighting. _Hurry up and help the others!_

Kisshu seized the opportunity to knock away the girl's Strawberry Bell. It vanished as she turned to face her attacker. He smiled coldly as he brought one arm swiftly down, dagger in hand.

"NOOOOO!!!" roared Ryou, rising from his seat. Ichigo had dodged aside, but Kisshu had caught a glancing blow against her elbow. She cried out, a thin red trickle appearing on her arm.

Keiichiro struggled to restrain Ryou's hands from grappling the monitor, but the blonde was wild with fury. "Gonna…kill him…ICHIGO!!!"

Unexpectedly, a purple ribbon of light wrapped around Kisshu's waist. Zakuro stood a few feet away, regarding her prey ominously.

"Kisshu. That wasn't very nice," Zakuro remarked menacingly. She turned to her injured friend. "Ichigo, go inside and find something to bind your arm with. Guard the children and send out Minto."

Ichigo nodded and fled to the daycare center, clutching her arm. It was only a superficial wound, but it bled profusely.

Zakuro turned her attention back to the jade-haired alien, writhing angrily in his bonds. It seemed he was unable to teleport. She smiled icily. "You want a kiss so bad? Then KISS THIS!" she hurled him into the air, where he collided with an invisible barrier and slid to the ground, stunned. His nose was bleeding. Kisshu swore at his chameleon predacyte, cupping his nose in his hands.

******

Inside the daycare center, Minto and Retasu were hurriedly ushering the children into the main room, drawing the curtains closed and shouting instructions to the daycare teacher.

"Lock all the windows....help me push this table against the front door…Are all the kids here?" called Minto.

"Y-yes… let me check again," the plump older woman began counting heads. Green-haired Retasu managed to get the panicked children to all sit on the rug. A few were crying. "You girls are Mew Mews, aren't you? The ones from TV."

"Yes, yes," Minto snapped impatiently. "Is everyone here?"

"Yes, they're all here. Are you girls going to fight those monsters?"

Retasu answered her. "No, we'll stand guard outside the building to protect you and the children. Our friends will handle the monsters." She and Minto exchanged a furtive glance. _At least, I hope so._

Suddenly someone pounded on the door. "Let me in!" a voice demanded. The daycare teacher gasped, pulling her shawl closer around her. Retasu whimpered unintentionally.

"C'mon, guys, let me in! It's me!" the voice called. Minto suddenly recognized its owner. "That's Ichigo!" She hastened to unlock the door.

The pink-haired Mew stumbled in, breathing heavily. "Finally," she gasped. She made her way to the kitchen, hastily rummaging through the cupboards.

"Ichigo, what happened…" the bird-infused girl stopped short. Ichigo's arm was masked with blood.

"I'm fine, really, I just need a bandage," Ichigo responded. "You need to go help the others outside, Minto!"

"O-okay," Minto replied. She stepped back hesitantly. There was a lot of blood…

"Just go!" cried Ichigo. The blue-haired girl turned and left the building hastily. Ichigo barred the door behind her and located a gauze wrap under the sink, then joined the others in the living room.

"Retasu, maybe you should stay in here with the kids. I'll join the others as soon as I wrap my arm," Ichigo suggested to her green-haired friend.

Retasu nodded in agreement. "We'll be fine here. You help the others finish off the predacytes."

Ichigo began to bandage her elbow, wincing a little. _I hope everyone's ok out there,_ she thought.

********

Minto charged out of the nearby building, Heart Arrow already in hand. "Zakuro onee-sama!"

"Go help Purin. I'll handle this one," the older girl called. Minto nodded and hurried to join the monkey Mew.

"Now, Kisshu, why don't you leave. Before you get hurt," Zakuro threatened. Kisshu glared at the model with his hands still covering his nose, carefully weighing the circumstances before teleporting away. Zakuro immediately took a step back and scanned the vicinity, trying to locate the chameleon predacyte. How could anyone fight something they could barely see? She had only been able to spot the predacyte to propel Kisshu against it because it had been moving. Where was it now?

She grinned triumphantly. There. Its eye appeared to hover in mid-air, rotating to stare back at her. It was clinging to the side of a building. She casually flicked a ribbon of energy at the predacyte, noting its hiss of pain with satisfaction. Now all she needed was Ichigo.

******

Minto and Purin were still occupied with the praying mantis. The blue-haired Mew drew back her bow to release an arrow at the insect. "Reborn Minto echo!"

The mantis hissed in rage. The arrow had struck its underbelly. Purin shot a series of small orange globs at the predacyte, gluing its legs to the street. "Alright!"

"Ichigo, now!" all three Mews outside cried simultaneously. The cat-girl thrust her head through a window to glimpse Zakuro struggling to keep an invisible enemy at bay, while the praying mantis thrashed wildly, cemented to the ground by Purin's attack. The cat-girl scrambled through the open window and summoned her weapon. 'Strawberry Bell!"

She headed for the chameleon first. "Reborn Strawberry Surprise!" she cried. The faint outline of a reptile dissipated in a shimmer of light. Zakuro slumped, exhausted. "The mantis!" she called out wearily.

"Right!" Ichigo shouted. She raced over to the other predacyte, which in the meantime had pried three of its legs out of the glue. It was almost free…

"Reborn Strawberry Surprise!" The predacyte shrieked as it too dissolved, leaving a delighted Masha to swallow the Chimera.

"We…we did it…" panted Ichigo. She flopped unceremoniously on the sidewalk, thoroughly spent. The other Mews gathered around, equally drained, as Retasu opened the door to the daycare center.

"Is everyone alright?" the porpoise-infused girl called out in concern. The four other girls nodded. Several small faces emerged in the windows to peer curiously at the super-heroines. Ichigo smiled in relief. The children were safe. She laboriously picked herself up and beamed at her friends. "Let's go home, guys. I'm beat."

* * *

A/N. Oh right, I forgot. I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew. :P Also, I took the liberty of suggesting that Kisshu can't teleport when in the grips of Zakuro's weapon. A minor detail ;)


	4. Chapter 4

The final chapter! Hope you like it!

* * *

The moon was beginning to rise as the five Mews tumbled through the café doors, exhausted. "We're back," announced Purin weakly, almost collapsing on the floor. Zakuro and Ichigo caught her by the arms before she fell and helped her to a heart-shaped chair.

"I'd better go change and finish wiping down the tables, or Shirogane will have a fit," mourned Ichigo before heading towards the changing rooms. Minto rolled her eyes. "She's worried about work at this hour? More like, she's worried about what Shirogane thinks."

The rest of the girls smothered their giggles. Ichigo returned shortly, clad in her waitress outfit, as Keiichiro rushed in, eager to confirm their safety.

"Girls! I'm so glad you're back safe and sound. Is Purin alright?" he continued anxiously.

"I'm fine, na no da! Just a little tired!" Purin grinned wearily.

"A gross understatement, I'm sure," Keiichiro smiled at the young girl's undimmed enthusiasm. "Ichigo, how is your elbow feeling?"

"Much better, thanks. I think we Mews have some kind of inhuman healing powers." She frowned a little at the realization of yet another uncanny ability they seemed to possess.

The brunette merely smiled. "That's good to hear. By the way, Ichigo, you dropped your phone earlier." He handed her the light-pink cell phone.

"Oh, thank you, Akasaka-san! I probably would have spent my entire shift tomorrow searching for it!"

Keiichiro shook his head. "You all deserve a day to rest up. Ryou's giving you the day off tomorrow."

Various sounds of approval issued from the girls, but Ichigo looked up quickly. "Where _is_ Shirogane, by the way?"

Keiichiro cleared his throat. "He's still in the basement—a bit worn out as well. He was worried about you all," he added when Ichigo looked unconvinced.

"Well, he could at least have come up here to welcome us back! Would it kill him to show that he cares for once?" She stopped suddenly. They were all looking at her silently. Ichigo blushed. "Wh-what?"

"I think you should go see him, Ichigo-san," the chef urged. Ichigo looked surprised but covered it up quickly.

"Fine, I think I'll go give him a piece of my mind! How dare he ignore us after what we went through..." she grumbled as she made her way towards the basement, still blushing.

The others exchanged glances before Keiichiro broke the silence. "Is anyone hungry? I made a little something for you all, to thank you for your hard work today."

"Foooooood!!!" squealed Purin as she leaped off her chair and raced towards the kitchen. Everyone laughed and followed, albeit more slowly. Zakuro held back to watch the red-haired girl wrench open the basement door and step through. _Good luck, Ichigo_, she wished silently before joining the others.

*********

Ichigo descended the stairs, trying to fume, but strangely enough forgetting why she was angry. She wondered vaguely what she was planning to say. The girl came to a halt in the middle of the room, several feet away from her boss. Ryou was seated in front of a computer, his back to her. "Shirogane..." she began hesitantly.

He didn't acknowledge her, but she knew he was listening. His hands had stopped their movement over the keyboard.

"Um, about this afternoon…" she continued as a deep blush spread across her cheeks. _Wait, where did that come from?_ _Wasn't I going to tell him off for something?_

"Forget it."

She stopped, confused. "What?"

"I said forget about it. I'm sorry I…about what happened." He stood up stiffly, his back to her, then turned towards the stairs without looking at her. "Just forget it, ok?"

"No, wait…Shirogane…"

He continued his slow, even pace to the stairway.

"Shirogane! Hey! SHIROGANE!" she shouted, a bit hysterically. Tears were pricking her eyes. He didn't stop.

"Wait!" He continued to ignore her.

"RYOU!"

He froze, one hand on the banister. She was breathing raggedly, wrestling back her tears. His whole body was quivering. Something about that voice, _her_ voice, uttering his name, overwhelmed him. He was powerless, completely at her mercy. He turned his head slowly to look at her, visibly shaken.

"I don't..._want_ to forget it," she whispered.

He looked at her stubborn, tearful face, astonished. _She can't possibly mean…_A brief glimmer of hope lit his eyes, before the recollection of a certain awkward phone call caused them to quickly resume their deadened look. _No, of course not, Shirogane._ _You're imagining things. _There was no way…she was in love with Aoyama…

Ryou turned his head back to face the staircase, defeated. He didn't bother trying to conceal the bitterness in his voice. "Don't be stupid. We both know you already have that Aoyama for a boyfriend."

"I'm talking to _you_, Ryou. Leave the other guys out of it," she countered. He recognized the line. Again his heartbeat sped up when she spoke his name. He was helpless.

He turned around and slowly walked back to Ichigo, her eyes locked with his the whole way. As he stopped in front of her, she was suddenly self-conscious and tore her gaze from his, turning her head to the side while her fingers toyed with the ruffled edge of her apron. She felt as if those piercing blue eyes could see _right through_ her. She recalled how expressive they had looked after he had kissed her, and she blushed lightly. Ryou waited patiently for her to speak, his eyes never leaving her face. Ichigo finally gathered up her courage to look up at him.

"You see…what I'm trying to tell you is…" she faltered. He said nothing, just watched her, hardly daring to breathe. _What _am_ I trying to say?_ she wondered bewilderedly. _That I…liked it? _Her stomach danced with butterflies. _Could it be true?_ "I…"

Ryou's every nerve was on-edge, awaiting her next word. But it never came. He could see her struggling for the right words, but he couldn't bear to wait any longer. "Is it possible…you might have some feelings for me?" he asked in a whisper.

Her thoughts swirled. _Shirogane? Feelings? _A warm, tingling sensation crept over her as her memory brought forth an array of images: Their first meeting. The dance at the ball. The countless times she had barged in his room to find him shirtless. The unexpected kind acts. How he selflessly rescued her from danger time and again. And most recently, his passionate kiss…

Ichigo struggled against her thoughts, but there was no point in denying it. He was right. She felt her turbulent mind settle, beaten.

"I…do. Yes," she breathed, closing her eyes and bowing her head in defeat.

Suddenly her face was pressed against his sturdy chest, his strong arms wrapped securely around her. Her eyes opened in surprise. She could feel his heartbeat through his shirt, feel the warmth of his body…

"You _must_ know that I love you," he whispered. "I've tried and tried to hide it, but I don't have the strength to resist you anymore." He tightened his embrace. "I love you," he murmured, pressing her closer.

He held her for a long moment, stroking her shining red hair, as she sorted out her thoughts. _Is this a dream? I'm supposed to be in love with Masaya…then why aren't I freaking out? Maybe…maybe I've had feelings for Shirogane, all along…? Still, I have to explain…_

Ryou felt her stir in his arms and saw she was determined to tell him something. He released her and drew back slightly. He had a feeling that he knew what it was about.

He pressed a finger against her lips as she opened them to speak, silencing her. "You don't have to make any decisions right now. I know you must have mixed feelings. I'll wait until your heart can give me an honest reply."

He understood. She gave him a watery smile and leaned her cheek back against his chest, wrapping her arms around him and letting out a contented sigh. He smiled gently, looking down at her. Suddenly Ichigo's head snapped up.

"After how I've treated you…all the nasty things I've said…you really don't hate me?" she asked with a sudden rush of guilt. _I know he teased me a lot, but he's never called me the horrible things I've called him…_

Ryou considered her words with a small smile. Then he leaned in, slowly, and kissed her softly. This time Ichigo readily accepted, tilting her head up slightly to meet him. It was brief, but very, very sweet.

He looked into her eyes. "Does that answer your question?"

She smiled in response.

He straightened up, but Ichigo's body screamed in protest against the lack of contact, aching for the warmth he had provided. She tried not to show it.

"Now, what do you say we go get something to eat?"

She looked up at him, startled, while a blush crept across her cheeks. "Huh? Y-you mean, a date? But, I thought you said I didn't have to make any decisions right now…"

"Silly Momomiya." He ruffled her hair. "I only meant that we go upstairs and join the others in the kitchen." He turned to head up the stairs.

"Oh," she replied, a little disappointed. _Momomiya? Maybe he doesn't want the others to know yet…but after what they saw today, who knows what they're thinking…_

"Um…Ryou?"

Every nerve in his body thrilled at the sound of her speaking his name. He turned around.

"I…probably shouldn't call you that, should I."

He smiled and cupped her chin in his hand, stroking a thumb over her cheek. She closed her eyes and shivered, marveling at the tenderness of his touch.

"Let's keep that our little secret…shall we?" He winked.

"O-okay." she conceded, feeling a little giddy. Looking into those gorgeous turquoise eyes, her feelings bubbled inside her. Ichigo was sure now that she had feelings for Shirogane. Now she just had to deal with her previous feelings about Masaya. _I'll save that for later._ She shook her head to clear her thoughts and followed Ryou up the stairs.

"So…are we going to act like nothing happened?" she asked curiously.

He smiled mischievously at her. "Unless you want me to announce our relationship when we see the others."

The redhead squeaked involuntarily and blushed once again. "How about…until I make my decision…we pretend everything's the same?"

Ryou smirked and flicked her nose. "Fine by me, Strawberry." He wasn't worried about her decision. Somehow, he knew he had her heart.

"Hey!" she protested, shoving him. "I didn't say you could do that!" He laughed and jogged towards the kitchen. Ichigo ran after him, smiling. They both knew it was all an act. She was in love with him, and he had helped her to realize it. Things were going to be different around the café from now on.

Ichigo followed him to the kitchen door, where she could hear the clatter of silverware on plates and the voices of their friends raised in laughter. He reached down to give her hand a quick squeeze, then let go. "Ready?"

She smiled up at him. "Ready." They entered the bright kitchen, both attempting to hide their new-found joy, while four waitresses and one baker greeted them jovially, and the moon smiled down on the two lovers from its ascent through the heavens outside.

* * *

The end! I should mention, however, that I also took the liberty of saying that the Mews heal faster than normal humans. That's just my little addition. Plus, you may notice one of the lines, and one of the description sentences, sound familiar. I don't want to spoil it by telling you which ones they are, but I give full credit to Yoko Kamio and Stephenie Meyer (although the Meyer one isn't an exact copy). Those phrases just fit too perfectly, and I couldn't think of another way to word the feeling I was going for! So yeah. Hope you liked the story! :)


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